Smith, who set up the sustainable travel website three years ago, attended a parliamentary ceremony last week alongside some of her fellow ambassadors, including former TV newsreader Jan Leeming and adventurer David de Rothschild.

Year of Green Action is a scheme organised by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) throughout 2019, designed to “connect more people with the environment and raise awareness about the simple steps everyone can take to make a difference to the natural world”.

Smith admitted being selected as an ambassador by Defra “came out of the blue”.

“It’s very exciting,” she told TTG. “They’ve not chosen people with the most Instagram followers, but people who have commitment, passion and integrity.”

She added: “I’m delighted tourism is at the table. It’s about getting the conversation going with consumers about sustainable travel.

“Consumers don’t want to be lectured, they want to be able to make informed decisions. You can see the massive effect of something like Blue Planet on plastic use.”

Smith, who has worked in travel for 25 years, said she would be spreading the word about “connecting back to nature” through tourism during her time as an ambassador.